Hidden
by pookie-poo
Summary: After all they've been through, what happens when Aang and Toph pass thier level of friendship? [Taang]
1. Chapter 1

For my reviewers: I know, I know, your thinking I just read this but really I think you should read it again its different, _cough_ a lot different.

Enjoy….

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Chapter One: Story Begins

Toph patiently stood before the forked road waiting for the vibrations of two of her close friends to disappear; after all she wouldn't see them for another six months. And well she hates to say it, but she would miss them.

She sighed with displeasure and turned to her only traveling companion for next six months. _'I have a feeling this is going to be a long six months.'_

It had been a good five years since the Fire nation been defeated and well, this is the first time since she can remember that they actually split.

However at the moment she just wanted to get moving; sure she'd miss Katara and Sokka but hey, they'll live, she'll live and she'd see them again eventually. Now if only someone else would get that through their head.

Toph walked up to the large creature named Appa and made her self comfortable on top of him, "Come on Aang we got a lot to travel."

Aang slowly made his way and jumped swiftly on top of Appa, "Yip, yip."

A heavy air of depression hanging over Toph and it was beginning to irritate her, "Geez Aang! Don't make me push you off Appa, Stop being so despondent it's pissing me off. "

Aang looked over his shoulder to see Toph glaring at him, "I'm fine Toph, calm down."

Toph slowly raised a fist into the air, "You know Aang I won't hurt you if you just say you'd rather be with Katara then be stuck with me for six months. I know that's why you're all down in the dumps."

Aang's eyes widened and he quickly turned around, "Toph- Why- I mean that's not why-Look-"

Toph gave a dejected smirk, "Ha. You can't even find anything to say. Look Aang we never been the closest of friends so why don't we just land so you can drop me off and you can go catch up with Katara and Sokka."

"You know they're going to spend time with their father, I don't belong in that picture. Anyways, I'm going to travel with you." Aang frowned, "I'm going to miss Katara, but if I went with her, I'd worry about you."

Toph's eyes widened but stayed silent and laid down, hear that was enough.

Aang gave a small smile; he knew she was satisfied with what he said. Through the year of travel just by watching her he learned more about her personality, even though she doesn't know he cares about her, but of course-

"You know Aang, Katara might meet a good looking boy along the way and she might just fall for him."

Aang's face reddened, "Y-You think so?"

"Oh yea! She's quite the good looking lady you know." Toph smirked knowing how Aang looked at the moment. _'Of course Katara's his number one.' _

Toph's smirk faded, "Aang."

Aang turned his head with his cheeks still red, "What?"

"I hate you."

"W-What!?" Aang let go of the reins and stood up forgetting he was on Appa.

"Just kidding." Toph turned to her side, "I'm going to sleep."

Aang looked at Toph carefully, "Toph."

"What?"

"Are you sure?"

"About what? Don't you see I'm trying to sleep here?"

"About hating me, because if I did anything to upset you I-"

"Aang I was kidding-"

"But you weren't smiling when you said it, nor did you have any humor in your voice." Aang was still standing, and was feeling pretty crummy at the moment how can someone joke about it with a voice that sounded like that?

Toph got onto her knees, "Aang look I don't hate you, but I don't like you either. Sure you were my student and all, but we never had any other relationship, whenever you talk to me it never for friendly conversation, just for work.

That's why I barely understand why you came. I know you came because you care, but you care for anybody. You don't care for me as a friend at all. That's why you annoy me. You don't even tell me you don't like me."

It was silent, "I'm sorry, I didn't know Toph you never said anything. I really do care about you."

"Whatever." Toph laid down again, the atmosphere around them was getting too heavy with unwanted feelings.

Aang sat down and took control of Appa again, _'She doesn't even think I'm her friend. I wonder how long she felt like that? I'm going to have to prove to her that I really am her friend. Especially if we're going to travel together for six months.'_

----...----

_Everything around her was black; not that it mattered, her world has always been like that. Toph stood in the midst of the darkness and walked around. _

"_Where am I? I can't feel anything." Toph brought her hand to her arm noticing the temperature drop._

"_Mommy!" _

_Toph turned her head she heard small footsteps of a little girl. The sound was coming closer and closer until the girl came crashing into her. _

"_Mommy!" _

_Toph eyes widened as she realized the excitement in the girls voice, "I-I'm not your mommy."_

_The small girl began to tear up, "But daddy said I look like you."_

"_W-wait. Daddy? Who are you, and I'm not your mommy." _

_The small girl began to tear up, "W-Why are you so mean to me mommy?"_

_Toph frowned and kneel before the small girl, "I'm sorry but-"_

"_Mommy you should be careful, because you might die." Toph eyes widened this girl came out of nowhere. The girl kept crying._

"_W-Wait, calm down. What are you talking about?" _

"_Please don't be sad no more, I love you." _

_Tear began to fill the brim of Toph's eyes. Toph embraced the little girl, "Don't talk like that!" All the things this girl was say was starting to scare Toph. Should she listen to this girl was she really going to die._

"_Someone's going to try to kill me, you have to help me." _

_Toph looked at the girl seriously, "I won't let that happen." She couldn't, wouldn't! Let that happen, she, this girl already made this connection to her in such a short amount of time. Was she really her daughter?_

"_But, mommy please don't be sad. Don't push your feelings away-" The girls eyes widened, "Look mommy, they're coming after us!" _

_A scream escaped the girl's mouth, as fire began to surround them. Toph placed her body over the girl who was crying hysterically now, "Don't worry I'll protect you."_

_The heat of the fire was on her now and Toph was having a hard time breathing. Toph screamed as the fire engulfed her body._

Toph sat up drenched in sweat, taking in deep breaths.

"Toph? Are you okay?"

Toph turned to Aang who sat across a fire. She noticed it was night because of the cooler temperatures, "Yea." Toph paused taking a deep breath, "I'm fine."

'_That dream.'  
_

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_Hope you enjoyed it!_

_For the first reviewers. _

_For those who read the first chapter before and noticed the big difference, I want to apologize if you liked the other version better but, I felt like I didn't put much effort and really wanted to make this story better._


	2. Chapter 2

Hope you enjoy, it. And I hope I didn't take too long to write the next chapter

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Chapter Two: Fear

Toph was awake, but was deciding if whether or not she should open her eyes and get up. That dream had troubled her and hasn't been receiving a good's night rest these past days.

That dream sent chills down her back, maybe she should search for this little girl, because as far as she knows she doesn't have a daughter, _'Unless I've have amnesia.' _Toph grunted from frustration and disgust, "She was at least three years old!"

Toph heard Aang stir from his sleep and chuckled, "Guess I'm awake now." She got up and quickly put her things away, she wanted to be as far away from the campsite before Aang woke up.

Ever since the argument, he's been wanting to _'prove' _his friendship by accompanying her on her morning exercises. All she wanted was alone time. Toph had noticed some earthen ground on her short hike the day before and decided that was where'd she go.

----...----

Aang looked into the sky, he was so bored that he stooped down to the level of drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick. These past five days had been hard on him; he'd try to talk to Toph but she's so distant it's hard to make conversation.

And now she wasn't here which meant she didn't want him to be around. After waking up and seeing she wasn't there it felt like rejection. It was depressing.

_'And she complains about the lack of friendly conversation; it takes two to tango you know.' _Aang pouted.

_'Then again, she hasn't really been herself lately, I wonder why.' _Aang looked down on his drawing his eyes widened; Why would he draw that sign? A symbol of death. Aang was had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Aang felt a drop of water on his head and looked up. He didn't even noticed those dark clouds, he stood up quickly and looked into the forest as it began to rain heavily, "Toph!" Fear grew heavy in his heart.

----...----

Toph curse aloud as a branch of a tree slapped her across the face sending her onto the ground. Why did she have to exercise for so long!? Was she really holding up that much anger? Or stress? And now that her body was exhausted it wasn't helping her with anything.

Not even a cursed tree branch. The fact that it was raining didn't help much either the scattering rain messed with her 'seeing' All the rain drops messed with her vibrations, she'd be one sorry person if an enemy ever knew her weakness, in fact nobody in her small group even knew about it.

However now was not the time to mull over this if she walked slowly she could concentrate on the vibrations a few feet away from her. Toph slowly with her arms in the air moving around as if grouping herself, she felt like defenseless lost soul. She hated, feeling this pathetic.

How long would she have to walk like this. Toph stumbled and fell on the ground her face now dirty with mud, "Great!." She stood up and noticed she was out of the forest; the rain was heavier.

Toph frown, it was really heavy the rain really stung like needles on her exhausted body. Regardless she would have to continue to travel, she began walking moving her arms around.

Thunder sounded in the air and Toph yelled and crouched into a ball on the ground. Great! Let it thunder so her fear of it could activate. Toph screamed as the thunder got louder and louder.

It was then silent except for the sound of the rain, Toph opened her tightly squeezed eyes. She had to moved no matter how tired and scared she was. She slowly got up and moved forward, _'This rain.'_

Toph suddenly felt the ground beneath her begin to sink in. It could only mean one thing; a cliff. Toph gasped loudly and closed her eyes ready to take the fall.

Suddenly two arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back, "Toph."

Toph eyes widen, and the arms loosened once they were on solid ground. Toph turned around "Aang?" It wasn't that she didn't know who he was it was that she was confused as to how he knew-

Thundered sounded loudly in the air again; Toph screamed placing her face in Aang's chest and wrapping her arms around him.

"Toph?" Aang looked at Toph with concern.

"_T-Thunder_." On cue it sounded again and Toph squeezed Aang's shirt. Aang eyes widened as he realized she was scared of thunder. And just as quickly as his eyes widened they soften as he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame, "I'm here for you."

Toph felt Aang's body heat engulf her she was feeling pretty weak and very cold at the moment and all she wanted to do was close her eyes. And she did however passed out and her body went limp. Aang picked her up and walked into the forest where it was raining less.

Aang looked down at Toph worriedly and sighed. 'Why didn't she just stay where she was? Why didn't she just come home earlier?!'

"Geez Toph! Look in the state your in." He soon found a large tree with its large trunk and large leaves Aang sat down, under it and started a small fire. _'Hopefully the storm will pass soon.'_

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_Please give constructive criticism if needed and I hope it kept you interested._

_-Thank you for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

I'm sorry, I promised one of the reviewers I would update but someone close to me died the next day so yea, Im sorry I wasn't able to update. However I hope you like the chapter.

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Aang was startled awake the second he met face to face with the ground. He scrunched his eyes and nose, then looked up; he could see Tophs's sleeping form on the bed and frowned, he walked up to the bed and stared at her worriedly.

"_It's all up to her now." _Those had been the words of the doctor.

He looked away and noticed the dying fire and quickly went to place more wood in the fireplace.

It had been two days since Toph fell to pneumonia, and hadn't woken up since then. He was genuinely worried for her now, wondering how Toph, 'The Toph', can get sick like this. He never thought about it; her being sick. Who would? It wasn't a possibility to him. Her character seemed to be anti-sick.

It was sad but it took her getting sick for Aang to realize, that she was still a girl and that she wasn't the tough stone she appeared to be.

When she hadn't woken up and a heavy fever produced he rushed her to the nearest village, where a kind old couple accepted them into their house. It also was the last night when he got a decent amount of sleep.

Heavy eyes closed as Aang sighed, "_Please get better._"

A soft knock sounded through the door before it opened; an elderly woman stood at the doorway, "Aang dear, please get some sleep. She'll get better, right now you just need you sleep."

Aang smiled appreciably, "I will, thank you."

The old women smiled and closed the door and Aang trudged to the cot set in the corner of the room, lying on it he closed his eyes falling into a deep sleep.

----...----

Toph lay on the bed feeling stiff as a bored as she cracked her eyes open and began to collect her thoughts trying to remember what happened last.

She sat up feeling sore, "If I didn't know any better it'd feel like I'd been on this bed for days." She paused, "Now that I think about it why am I here? On a bed? Weren't we-" Getting off the bed she notice's Aang's vibrations.

"Aang!" She ran up to the cot that laid in the corner of the small room. She sighed and chuckled, "I almost thought--never mind." She reached out to wake him up, but stopped as a heavy blush filled her cheeks, remembering the rainy night. She placed her hand over her mouth stepping back, _'He knows, he knows! My weakness'_

Toph heart began to beat hard against her chest causing her to cough; she closed her eyes in pain and placed her hands on Aang's cot. Her breathing became labored and felt her mind coming in and out of consciousness.

Aang stirred in his sleep and slightly opened his eyes feeling a slight weight on top of him, "Toph?" His eyes widened and his sat up, "W-What are you doing here?"

Sitting on the cot Toph held her chest in pain, "W-what wrong--me?"

Toph let her weight fall to the cot and felt herself being lifted, "Come, you need to rest, you're sick and I have to make sure you get better."

Toph cough, her chest constricted in pain and gasped, "_It hurts!_"

Aang winced feeling useless. Being the avatar the only thing he could heal was wounds; sickness was not something that could be healed by any bender.

He carefully placed her on the bed, and placed her blanket on top of her, "Toph, try to be careful, don't do anything you don't have the strength-" Aang looked at the hand on top of his and left his eyes travel to Toph's face.

"Aang, it's not your fault, I know how y-" She coughed, and smiled softly, "I know how you are don't worry about it, I'll get better." She closed her eyes and breathed out softly, "_For you anyways._"

Aang looked at her sleeping form slightly surprised, _'Does she really know me that well?' _He smiled, _'Your one of a kind.' _

----...----

A few days passed before Toph was up and sitting on the table eating her breakfast. She felt much better and had begun taking vitamins to keep her level of health rising at a steady pace.

The old man who sat across from her stared with wide eyes as she hungrily ate her food plate by plate. He chuckled, "Reminds me of myself at your age, eat as much as you can, you haven't ate much since you've been sick."

Toph looked up and smiled, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and swallowed he food, "That's true but a stomach too full isn't good either, I'm just finishing up."

The door to the dining room opened and Aang walked in with a towel over his shoulder. Toph looked at him crossly, "You finally said hi to Appa, poor thing. I can't believe you forgot about him! Next time I get sick forget about me and pay attention to your bison, for crying out loud, you're lucky these kind people fed him else he'd be starved!"

Aang looked at her irritatingly and sat down on the table irked by her haughty behavior, and muttered a few words under his breath. He filled his plate with food and began eating. Toph stood up and washed her dishes. The air was heavy with a 'ready to kill' atmosphere.

The old man at the table stifled a hearty laugh and suppressed the biggest smile. These two young lively people brought him back to the past and the show was quite entertaining.

Toph dried her hand on the edge of her shirt and walked by Aang and flicked his head, "I heard that, and I don't think that's a very nice thing to say to someone you want to be friends with."

Aang looked up taken aback; Toph was smiling taking her tongue out. He glared back at her, then returned to his food, "Stupid girl."

Toph smirked and walked out and wondered until she found a back door that went outside. She grumbled irritated at feeling the heat of the sun. She put her arms on her sides and her eyes widened amazed at the sized of this garden and how…happy it felt. She walked around, _'There was a lot of love put into this garden.' _

She touched the flower feeling the vibrations of all life in the garden until she felt someone tending to the garden she walked until she found them, _'Oh the lady who took care of us.' _The old lady looked back. She looked surprised but smiled nevertheless, "Did you enjoy your breakfast?"

Toph nodded and walked towards her, "Yea, you cook really well."

She heard a small chuckle, "Well when you're as old as I am its going to be good eventually."

Toph smiled, "I guess that's true."

A comfortable silent passed as the elderly women placed new plants into the ground, "I'm really glad you're alright. The young man seemed to be going through such a hard time."

Toph looked at her as if someone thrown her off her mind's peaceful flow, then smiled wistfully, "Well its nothing new, he's gets like that, I mean, it's not like he really cares for only me-" Her eyes widened, "W-What am I talking about? I mean c-come on," she gathered the cloth on her thighs in her fists, "I shouldn't be talking like this."

The older lady looked at Toph with pain gathering in heart, "I'm sorry I assum-"

"Well Don't Assume Anything!" Toph stood up, "Oh" Toph stepped away, "I'm Sorry!" She turned around and ran off. _'What's wrong with me!?' _

She ran through the house and bumped into Aang, "Toph?" He turned confused as to why she was running, "What's wrong?"

She glanced back, "Nothing!"

Aang watched her run off as he stood there frozen on the spot, _'Those were tears.'_

"I'm sorry."

Aang looked back to see the old man's wife, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" She placed her face into her hands and a choked sob came out.

Aang walked over to her, "Don't worry about it, _I'll find her_." Then he ran out the house, _'Toph, what's wrong!?'_

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_I hope you enjoyed this chapter I'll update as soon as I can. _


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